THE CELESTIAL HIERARCHIES
by Giuseppe Monno 1. What are the angelic hierarchies? Traditionally, three hierarchies are distinguished: Seraphim, Cherubim, and Thrones; Dominions, Virtues, and Powers; Principalities, Archangels, and Angels. 2. How do the different choirs of angels differ? They differ according to their degree of closeness to God and the tasks entrusted to them: some are more directly […]
THE ANGELS
by Giuseppe Monno 1. Who are the angels? Angels are spiritual beings endowed with intelligence, will, and freedom. They were created by God to serve and worship Him. 2. What is the nature of angels? Angels have a purely spiritual nature: they do not possess a material body and are not subject to matter. 3. […]
THE ANGEL OF THE LORD
by Giuseppe Monno The figure of the Angel of the Lord (in Hebrew Mal’akh ’Adonai, meaning “Messenger of the Lord”) is among the most mysterious and fascinating in the Old Testament. The Catholic Church, while not having defined dogmatically who he is exactly, draws from the patristic tradition a profound and evocative interpretation: in certain […]
SAINT MICHAEL THE ARCHANGEL
By Giuseppe Monno Saint Michael the Archangel is one of the most revered figures in Christian tradition. His name comes from the Hebrew Mikha’el, meaning “Who is like God?”—a rhetorical question highlighting the uniqueness and unmatched power of the Almighty. This name reflects his role as defender of God’s sovereignty against the forces of evil. […]
On Archangels and the Greatest Miracle
Rev. Peter M.J. Stravinskas To ward off the assaults of Satan–both internal and external–we need to have recourse to the powerful intercession of St. Michael the Archangel. Statue of the Archangel Michael (us.fotolia.com/scaliger) A story is told of an elderly priest who had served at the motherhouse of a community of Sisters for decades. As […]
THE MAN DYING IN A BARN
One night a loud knock was heard at the door of a village presbytery. The priest opened the window, and putting his head out, asked who was there and what he wanted. A man stepped forward and begged the priest to come immediately to a person who was at the point of death. The clergyman […]
Out of the mouths of babes
The Manichee Heresy A body of heretics called the Manichees, taught that there are two Gods, one the author of good and the other the author of evil. A priest in catechism class asked: “Who made the angels?” “God,” answered the children. “And who made the devils?” he continued. No one liked to say that […]
Archangels
Gregory the Great (540-604) “You should be aware that the word ‘angel’ denotes a function rather than a nature. Those holy spirits of heaven have indeed always been spirits. They can only be called angels when they deliver some message. Moreover, those who deliver messages of lesser importance are called angels; and those who proclaim […]
Angels and the Fall
Victor R. Claveau, MJ The existence of angels, their spiritual nature, the fact that there are good and bad angels, the fall of the evil spirits of their own free will, and the role of the devil in bringing about the fall of man are doctrines of faith that have at various times been solemnly […]
Angels in Holy Scripture and Tradition
The existence of angels is a truth so obviously founded in Scripture, Tradition, and the teaching of the Church that it seems superfluous to undertake a formal delineation of it. The following are merely a few of the many Scriptural texts in which it is expressly taught: Ps. 91:11, “For he will give his angels […]